You might not believe that a vocal recital featuring predominantly 20th-century music would appeal to general audiences who like and appreciate classical music. However, baritone JAKE STAMATIS' performance at Binghamton, New York's Phelps Mansion Museum on Sunday, April 22, 2018 saw a full house. Music featured included songs by Aaron Copland, Charles Ives, Samuel Barber, Philip Glass, Marc Blitzstein and concluded with a group of three songs by Stephen Foster. Among his selections was a superb narration (no singing) of Philips Glass's Wichita Vortex Sutra, telling a story with voice color and expression that made the piece one of the highlights of the afternoon.

A native of Pennsylvania, Mr. Stamatis has worked with faculty at Susquehanna University (bachelor's degree), Binghamton University (master's degree), has performed with Tri-Cities Opera where he participated in their Artist Training Program, Opera Ithaca, Jeunesses Musicales Croatia, and the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival. The summer season will see him perform with the Music Academy of the West. Not only does Mr. Stamatis have a pwerful voice, and his diction was excellent throughout the recital; he also possesses a certain kind of stage presence that is infectious and immediately draws the audience.

Of course, one half of a vocal recital is the collaborative pianist. JOEL HARDER performed some very involved and difficult piano music always with a sensitive ear complimenting the singer. A Canadian, Mr. Harder has performed at Alice Tully Hall, Caramoor, Bishopsgate Hall and the Beethovenhaus in Austria. Taking his bachelor's degree from the University of Alberta, he received his master's degree from the University of Ottawa and post-graduate degree in accompaniment from London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He currently is taking his fourth year as a C. V. Star Doctoral Fellow at New York's Juilliard School where he studies with Jonathan Feldman. Mr. Harder was a featured pianist and coach at the Cincinnati May Festival, the Castle Festival in Virginia, Highlands Opera Studio, and the Chautauqua Vocal Arts program. Other pianists with whom Mr. Harder has worked include stellar collaborative pianists such as Roger Vignoles, Graham Johnson and many others. Conductors include Lorin Maazel, Christoph von Dohnányi, and James Conlon. •